Rotating storage devices including hard disk drives and CD and DVD drives exhibit significantly increased electrical power consumption during the process of accelerating the speed of rotation of their media spindle. This momentary peak power consumption defines the worst case power supply power capacity requirements for these components and the system. These peak power requirements increase the size and cost of the power supply. Additionally, during deceleration, kinetic energy stored in the rotating spindle and media is lost to heat in the spindle bearings.
What is needed is a method and system for augmenting the power supplied to rotating media storage devices in order to reduce the size and cost of computer power supplies. Ideally, such a method and system could also capture kinetic energy when the rotating spindle is decelerated.